To end the popular anime series of our generation, the OVA of Samurai X titled Reflection is a must watch. The approach is somewhat similar from the the anime’s other movie Truth and Betrayal (story of how Kenshin’s past, how he got his scar and everything ).
Unlike the regular TV series, this is more serious and bloody. The story is basically the summary of Kenshin’s long journey after his life as ‘Battousai the slayer’. This consists of fighting villains and meeting friends along the way up to the the time his life peacefully ended. The story and the flashbacks would be mostly from Kaoru’s memories of the time they met up to the time Kenshin died in her lap(oops, sorry!). Kaoru’s love, acceptance and sacrifices for Kenshin showed more visible in this movie and is deeply felt(sniff sniff…). The first part of the movie were flashbacks that present famous scenes and known characters. There are battle scenes that were quite remembered from the TV series but is presented in a better fighting choreography in the movie. The character’s were the same from the tv series except 15 years older and the only new character would be Kenshin’s child, Kenjin. What becomes of them i will not spoil. 
The second or the last part show scenes that are not present in the tv series which makes it more interesting to watch. Again, the swordplay was spectacular. It was fast and the energy of every strike of the sword was intensifying. Lastly, it eventually showed how Kenshin’s heroic life gradually ended. Although it was depressing and emotional, I couldn’t think of any other rightful end for this series. At the end all i can do is take a deep breath and give a fulfilling *sigh*, reminiscing how the series that inspired me and sticked to me for all this years finally ended.
If you have finished the whole tv series up to the 90++th episode and question “what the hell happened to Kenshin?” this will fulfill and create a great closure for it.
But If you ever wondered how Battousai got his scar and stopped his murderous ways watch the other movie titled Truth and Betrayal
Don’t fret if you haven’t watched the series (which is very unlikely for an anime fan) it is still understandable but i doubt that you would appreciate the whole movie.
~SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST~
i just purchased the entire DVD collection myself not too long ago and i completely agree. i was half expecting for kenshin to die one of those stereotypical revenge deaths or he’d end up doing the same thing he did in trust and betrayal and just accepting his own fate that he must die. but the end of the movie was very different from what i expected and much, much better even though it was very sad.
both movies are really good but in different ways. i was expecting for reflection to be the same style as trust and betrayal was but reflection was very emotionally charged and faster paced in my opinion, and that is the way kenshin was currently living his life.
the end made me think a lot, which is really good and more than i can say about a lot of other anime.
By: Maggie on June 2, 2008
at 5:06 am
Samurai X (Rurouni Kenshin) Fan Community: http://www.weshow.com/my/group/rurouni_kenshin
By: Saeba on July 11, 2008
at 11:23 am